This invention relates in general to communications systems and, in particular, to the acquisition of signals in satellite communications systems.
Satellite communications systems are increasing in complexity. As markets and consumers of services demand more features and higher data rates, systems designers are forced to find ways to increase the information bearing capacity of each satellite in the satellite communications system. One result of this increased demand for bandwidth is an increase in the number of antenna beams, each narrower and with an increased gain, projected from each satellite towards the earth. An increase in the number of narrower beams allows for a corresponding increase in the number of users.
An undesirable by-product of the increased number of higher-gain beams is the increased satellite signal acquisition time experienced by ground stations and handsets.
What is needed is an apparatus and method for decreasing satellite signal acquisition time.